XN000022-1988-07-06 — Page 37

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1988

MR BARNES NOTED THAT A HONG KONG BDTC WAS ENTITLED UNDER THE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986, TO REGISTER AS A BN (0) AND TO HOLD A BN (0) PASSPORT.

THEREFORE, THE APPLICATION FOR A BN (0) PASSPORT EMBODIED THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION AS SUCH A NATIONAL, HE SAID.

THE STATUS OF A HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT

CITIZEN WOULD CEASE ON JULY 1, 1997.

"UNTIL THAT DATE THERE 18 A CHOICE FOR DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS TO ELECT TO ACQUIRE AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES WITH IT, HE SAID.

M

TERRITORIES

HONG KONG BRITISH THE BN (0) STATUS

HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENT POLICY NEITHER TO ENCOURAGE NOR DISCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO ACQUIRE A NATIONALITY OR CITIZENSHIP THROUGH REGISTRATION OR NATURALISATION.

AND

"THE CHOICE MUST BE LEFT TO THE INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES, IT IS CONSIDERED INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE GOVERNMENT ΤΟ EXERT ANY INFLUENCE IN THIS RESPECT," HE SAID.

"NEVERTHELESS, IT 1S THE

GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH SUFFICIENT INFORMATION ON THE BN (0) STATUS AND ADEQUATE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO APPLY FOR A BN (0) PASSPORT.

"AS EARLY AS OCTOBER 1985 WHEN THE WHITE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY} ORDER 1986 GOVERNMENT INITIATED EFFORTS ΤΟ EXPLAIN THE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO MAKE KNOWN THEIR VIEWS.

PAPER ON THE DRAFT WAS PUBLISHED, THE BN(0) STATUS AND ΤΟ

"PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BN (0) PASSPORT, EFFORTS WERK ALSO MADE TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH MORE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCK THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA, DISCUSSIONS AT DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS, DISPLAYS OF POSTERS, DISTRIBUTION OF EXPLANATORY LEAFLETS AND

OPERATION OF A RECORDED TELEPHONE MESSAGE SYSTEM.”

MR BARNES ADDED THAT SINCE NOVEMBER 17 1987, A HOTLINE BEEN OPERATING IN THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TO SERVE MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WHO WISHED TO ENQUIRE ABOUT THE BN(0) PASSPORT.

HAD

THE

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